Treaty of Paris (1814)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Treaty of Paris was signed on May 30, 1814 and ended the war between France and the Sixth Coalition of the United Kingdom, Russia, Austria, Sweden, Portugal and Prussia. It also enforced the abdication of Napoleon I, and also restored the Bourbon Monarchy in the form of Louis XVIII. The terms of the treaty were designed to be relatively lenient towards France, to avoid popular discontent that might threaten the restored monarch^{[citation needed]}. It was allowed to retain its boundaries of 1792, including some 3,280 square miles (8,495 km²) of territory captured in 1790-92, notably Avignon and Venaissin. Most of the colonies which France had lost in the course of the war were also returned to it, with the exception of Malta, Tobago, St. Lucia and the Isle of France, all of which were transferred to Britain.

Nonetheless, the victorious powers were still concerned about the possibility of France again becoming a threat to other states, and with this in mind, the territories surrounding France were strengthened^{[citation needed]}. Belgium and the Netherlands were united under the House of Orange to form a strong buffer state, the Kingdom of the Netherlands; there were similar provisions in the south to strengthen Piedmont. A secret provision also stated that Venetia should be transferred to Austria. Elsewhere, it was agreed that the German vacuum left by the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire, and its successor, the Confederation of the Rhine, would be filled by a federation of independent states. Likewise, Italy was to be divided into various independent states. Furthermore, Switzerland was to be granted independence.

The treaty also envisaged that France would gradually abolish the slave trade, over a five-year period, with financial and territorial incentives from the British. The Prince of France expressed his desire to abolish slavery but had to support the will of his people. Finally, it was agreed that a further congress would be held in Vienna to resolve the outstanding European issues.

[edit] See also

• Napoleonic Wars
• Congress of Vienna
• Treaty of Fontainebleau
• Treaty of Paris (1815)

bg:Парижки договор (1814)

de:Erster Pariser Frieden es:Tratado de París (1814) fr:Traité de Paris (1814) it:Trattato di Parigi (1814) nl:Verdrag van Parijs (1814) pt:Tratado de Paris (1814) sl:Pariški mirovni sporazum (1814)